From 13-02-2026
Time is central
Time is central to “Time for Papua”. Objects are not silent witnesses; they are links in relationships between people, ancestors and the environment. These relationships are constantly reactivated in rituals, allowing the past, present and future to coincide. While museums preserve objects, in Papua ideas about time are dynamic and circular – with room for renewal through loss and decay. What does it mean when objects are removed from that cycle and preserved “forever” elsewhere?
Contact with ancestors
These questions are all the more urgent because living environments are changing rapidly. Religious missions, colonial interventions and the rise of plantation economies and mining have shifted landscapes, rhythms and meanings. Palm oil plantations, rice fields and mines sometimes make contact with ancestors in the forest literally impossible, and with that, the experience of time also changes. At the same time, strong contemporary voices are being heard: artists, communities and activists are working towards a future in which ecology, justice and culture reinforce each other.
Borders
The exhibition also highlights borders and identity. The straight border on the 141st meridian – drawn by colonial powers in the nineteenth century – cut families and territories in half. But borders are more than lines on a map: language areas, ritual networks and gender roles also form “borders” within which people position themselves, challenge each other and innovate. Warriors, woodcarvers, weavers and contemporary artists show how identity is created in constant exchange: with ancestors, with neighbours, and with the oceans that connect villages.
A story of resilience
'Time for Papua' brings these perspectives together: from refined wood carvings and korwar figures to canoe prows and recent film works. You see how creators make history tangible, how objects form relationships, and how a dynamic experience of time clashes with imposed borders and economic interests. We bring together context, dissenting voices, and current examples. This unfolds a story of resilience and imagination: deeply rooted in place and past, yet focused on a just, green future. Come see, think along, and discover why now—more than ever—it is time for Papua.